Life Decisions
by JamJar98
Summary: Life isn't always easy. Especially not for the Gibbs clan as they face certain aspects of life. Some days are easy and other are tougher than the rest. This is a collection of tags to Grace of An Angel, that follows the Gibbs family as they face everyday life. Some decisions are easy, and others life changing.
1. Growing Pains

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything. Except the mistakes those are mine._

_**A/N:** This turned out very different from what I had in mind, and it can probably be better. I hope my lovely Jibbs readers enjoy this, it's always fun revisiting this AU verse._

_**Summary:** This sort of deals with the aftermath of what happened in Columbia. Not the best start, but it can only get better._

_Enjoy*_

* * *

The bed squeaked as she woke with a start. She listened, ears pricking up at the slightest sound that was out of place. There was a faint snore coming from somewhere down the hall, most probably from the rambunctious Boston Terrier. Outside the wind rustled the trees, carrying with it the sound of an occasionally passing car.

Brushing her thick red curls out of her face, she let out a tired sigh. Turning her head on the pillow, she glared at her husband, who was still fast asleep. It was only a matter of minutes before she'd hear Adira fussing over the baby monitor. Which was the main reason sleep eluded her. It had been touch and go this past week.

Jethro was on six weeks medical leave after everything that happened in Columbia, and she was silently thankful for it. They had fallen back into their morning routine rather quickly. Something that was easier than she thought with the new addition to their family. Despite the – so far – smooth sailing, she was troubled.

At times she wanted to blame the still crazy hormones, the irrational thoughts that ran through her mind frightened her occasionally.

There had been one or two incidents where she had felt almost… inadequate. She doubted that her husband knew about the frustrated tears she had let slip when he had effortlessly taken their newborn from her and had soothed her within minutes. He also hadn't noticed the irritation that flashed in her eyes when he was hovering behind her while she breastfed Adira. She felt terrible.

Jenny wiped at the tears threatening to fall. She knew he meant well. He had been nothing but doting father and husband ever since he'd returned. He was most likely beating himself up over missing the last few weeks of the pregnancy, and for leaving Kelly confused about why her daddy wasn't home.

They avoided the Columbia topic all together. It was easy, both of them were enthralled with their two children, preferring to focus on them instead of the issue at hand. Kelly had been different lately. At first she'd thought that perhaps with the new baby Kelly was feeling a tiny bit rejected.

She'd picked up on it the moment they were settled after getting home from the hospital. The little girl was wrapped up in her little sister, cooing over her every moment she got. She'd expected a tiny bit of jealous, but Kelly was absolutely smitten with Adira. The young lady's attitude towards her father was one that was causing her some concern.

Kelly had been happy to see her father was back, but that was as far as her affection towards him went. She avoided him at all cost. Before he had left he had been tasked with bedtime stories, something she knew both he and Kelly enjoyed. Ever since his return Kelly either went to bed without a story or asked that her mommy read to her.

Jenny had feared the worst, hoping Kelly wasn't feeling neglected because Jethro was currently giving most of his attention to their newborn. She'd even been wrong about that. Kelly couldn't wait to spend time with her and the baby when she got home from school, always willing to help with whatever she or the baby might need.

She'd noticed that Jethro had picked up on the odd behavior as well. He'd asked Kelly a few times if she wanted to help him in the basement, each time she shook her head and scampered off with Yoda. The first time she could see he thought it was because of the excitement of being a big sister, since Kelly refused to let Adira be alone for a few minutes.

When Kelly had declined her father's invitation, a second time, the disappointment on his face had been unmistakable. She'd tried her best to sooth his worries, telling him to give it a few more days, until the idea of being a big sister wasn't all that new any more.

The monitor crackled softly beside her. Throwing the covers back, she planted her sock-clad feet on the floor, checking behind her to see if her husband had even stirred. He was fast asleep, his still bruised face buried in his pillow.

Jenny let out a quiet sigh as she padded out of the room. She closed the door behind her softly, making her way across the hall to the nursery, monitor in hand.

It was the first night Adira was in the nursery on her own. The tiny bundle had slept with them in the master bedroom, more to ease her own mind knowing her baby was close instead of across the hall. The newborn was wide awake, her fussing getting progressively louder.

Quickly taking off her sweatshirt, Jenny reached in the crib for her daughter. Adira fussed for a moment before actively seeking her mother's chest. Adjusting the baby in her arms so she was more comfortable, she took a seat in the rocking chair.

Adira fussed, growing impatient with having to wait so long. Jenny smiled as she adjusted the baby, waiting with baited breath as she rooted around. Breastfeeding hadn't exactly been easy the first few days. She had been tired, inexperienced and frustrated with all the _'advice'_ other more experienced mothers had given her, at times it felt more like pity than advice. She'd finally found a way that worked for both her and the baby.

Adira suckled happily, soft grey eyes blinking up at her mother. Jenny brushed her fingers over the soft coppery hair. She'd never thought that she'd have two beautiful little girls, much less a family of her own at this point in her life. The little girl's eyes had drifted shut, still suckling happily.

The door to the nursery cracked open. Jenny looked over at the figure that stood in the doorway. She smiled at her husband as he closed the door behind him, stopping the night light from spilling out of the room. He scrubbed a hand over his face gingerly, trying to force the sleep away. She shifted, suddenly insecure about him seeing her like this.

Jethro frowned, he didn't know his wife to be modest – especially not around him. Licking his dry lips for a lack of something else to do, he padded across the room to take a seat next to her. He moved the other rocking chair closer to his wife's, watching with fascination as the baby stopped suckling, momentarily satisfied.

"You're up early." Jenny murmured quietly, not wanting to disturb Adira as she seemed to be falling asleep. She adjusted her spaghetti strap top, covering herself quickly. She didn't want to ponder on why she was constantly covering herself whenever he was around and it just so happened to be feeding time.

"Been awake since you got up." His voice was still thick with sleep. If he were honest with himself, there was a lot on his mind lately that was keeping him up.

"Didn't mean to wake you." She muttered softly, preferring to focus her attention on Adira.

They'd had fights before, ugly ones, but this… this felt wrong. They weren't supposed to be tip toeing around each other. They were going to have to deal with this soon, before it turned into something it wasn't. Adira started fussing again, nuzzling against her mother's breast instinctively.

Jenny sighed internally. Adjusting herself, she helped the baby latch on, she grit her teeth when Adira kept rooting around. This always happened when Jethro was in the room, her nerves would be shot to hell, silently wondering whether he was judging her or not.

Shifting in her chair, she managed to get a fussing Adira to latch on, letting out the breath she had been holding. Relaxing back in the chair, she shifted causing Adira to pull away. She ground her teeth together. Why was this so difficult?

Adira whimpered quietly before she started crying. She tried again, guiding the baby closer, hoping that this time she'll latch on more easily. The baby turned her head away, her voice cracking as she wailed at the top of her lungs. Jenny felt the tears sting the corner of her eyes as she desperately tried to both sooth and feed her daughter.

Jethro sat forward, trying to see if there was something he could do to help. He could see the frustration on his wife's face, knew that she'd been berating herself every chance she got when she or Adira struggled. He placed a hand on her thigh, drawing her attention to him.

"Why don't you have a seat on the couch? Might be more comfortable." He offered her an encouraging smile, not missing the self-doubting look that passed across her face.

Jethro reached out, taking Adira from her as she moved to get up. He grabbed the pacifier from where it was sitting in its container, offering it to the baby to suck on while they re-situated themselves. She actively nuzzled against his chest, the fussing subsiding somewhat.

Jenny took a seat on the small sofa. Taking Adira, she tried again, overly aware of Jethro hovering over her shoulder. She could feel his piercing eyes track ever little move she made. This had turned into an absolute disaster.

The baby latched on easily, suckling once again. She pressed her fingers against her forehead, trying to ease the headache that had steadily developed. She'd struggled before, but not to this extent, and the last few days had been progressively better. She seriously considered switching to bottle feeding to avoid any future incidents.

"Support her with both hands." Jethro murmured behind her from where he was seated on the arm of the couch.

"Jethro." Jenny snapped quietly. She squeezed her eyes shut. She knew he was trying to help, but… sometimes it felt like he judged her on every move she made when it came to Adira. She knew he'd been through this before, he had managed to raise Kelly all by himself. The tears were suddenly back, this time threatening to roll down her cheeks.

"Sorry..." She whispered softly. Why was this so bloody hard? Jethro squeezed her shoulder gently.

Adira refused to suckle anymore, finally full. Jenny adjusted her top, moving Adira to her shoulder, so she could burp her. Jethro stood up, holding out his arms to take the baby. She looked up at him, hoping he won't notice the tears glistening in her eyes. Passing Adira to him gently, she quickly grabbed her sweatshirt and pulled it over her head.

"Why don't you go back to bed? I'll take care of her, you need the rest more than I do."

She whispered her thanks as she quietly left the room. Leaning against the wall, she tilted her head back. This was not what she had been prepared for. Letting the tears slip, she bit her lip, trying to hold back the sob. In the last two days, she seriously considered that she might have postpartum depression. A visit to the doctor had enlightened her that it wasn't that at all.

He had suggested she be a bit more patient with herself, that it took sometime before she would fully grasp the right technique when it came to breastfeeding.

Light spilled into the hallway through the large window, signaling the dawn of yet another day. Trying to gather herself, Jenny pushed away from the wall, knowing that her eldest would be up withing the next fifteen minutes.

* * *

Kelly moseyed into the kitchen, curly hair sticking up in every direction as she took her usual spot at the breakfast table. She grumbled something under her breath as she hoisted herself up on her chair, glaring at the cereal boxes in front of her.

Jenny turned from where she was busy with the coffee machine, smiling as she saw the scowl on her daughter's face. "Hey, sleepyhead, you still tired?"

Kelly straightened somewhat as she saw her mother, a sleepy smile crossing her pretty face. "Morning, Mommy." The look dropped from her face. "Yoda snores too much."

Jenny chuckled softly, shaking her head. Filling the well worn _Star Wars_ cup with orange juice, she placed it in front of the kindergartner while she quickly fixed her breakfast.

She was tired, and she would give anything to go back to bed, but she doubted she'd be able to sleep. She had avoided going to bed after the incident with Jethro. She felt terrible, he'd only been trying to help and in her frustrated state of mind she practically bit his head off with one word. That alone had been another reason why she had avoided going to bed after he'd told her to. She didn't know if she could face him.

There was a clatter on the stairs as Yoda traipsed down them, one of his various chew toys in his mouth. Jethro wasn't far behind him, Adira safely swaddled in his arms as she slept soundly. He placed her in the crib that was set up in the living room.

Kelly shot into the living room, a silent blur as she headed straight for her baby sister. She quietly peaked in the crib, grinning quietly as Adira slept. She reached in and adjusted the blanket around her sister, making sure she was still warm.

Noticing her father for the first time, she looked at him with large blue eyes. He smiled down at her proudly, watching over them protectively.

"Morning." Kelly blurted out, quickly darting back to the kitchen to finish her breakfast.

Jethro stood in stunned silence. The last week she'd gone to school before he even got up, courtesy of his team who had been taking turns in dropping her off. He didn't know how to process the idea of her being so distant. He watched as she smiled up at her mother, eyes twinkling as she told her all about the game they would be playing at school.

Kelly calling Jenny her mother was a milestone he had missed. The still fresh scar on her forehead had twisted the knife in even deeper, knowing he hadn't been there to sooth her. He allowed his gaze to drift to his wife as she moved around the kitchen.

He could see she was tired; her shoulders were slightly hunched over, the dark circles under her eyes contrasting greatly against her pale skin. He didn't know what to make of her not going to bed after he'd assured her that he would take care of the baby.

Stepping into the kitchen, he took his usual spot at the breakfast table, smiling up at his wife as she placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of him. She returned the smile rather tight lipped, clearly showing that it was forced.

Knowing now was not the time he turned towards his daughter, watching as she wolfed down her cereal. "So, Kel, you excited it's finally weekend?"

Kelly looked up from her bowl nodding her head as she continued shoving cereal in her mouth. She chewed vigorously as she slid off her chair, taking her bowl to the sink and handing it to her mother. She wiped the remaining milk from the cereal off with her sleeve.

"Kelly, honey, slow down. There's still enough time for you to get ready." Jenny ruffled the girl's messy curls as she helped her place the bowl in the sink.

"But Mommy, Ziva's picking me up and she's always early." Kelly whined, unimpressed with the fact that she had to rush whenever she had to ride to school with Ziva.

"No, baby, that's Thursday's. It's Friday so it's Tony again." Jenny smiled down at Kelly watching as she processed the information.

Kelly giggled shyly, hiding her face behind her arm in embarrassment. She pushed her thick brown hair out of her face and looked at her mother with large puppy dog eyes. "Can I watch cartoons until it's time to get ready?"

Jenny shook her head, tutting disapprovingly. "No, go brush your teeth and get dressed. Your clothes are on your bed. And then, when you're finished and Tony's not here yet you can watch cartoons."

Kelly seemed to consider the offer, nodding her head approvingly at the proposal.

Jethro smiled at Kelly. "Hey, you gonna help me in the basement today when you get home?" He asked hopefully.

Kelly looked at her father, her blue eyes briefly flickering to her mother. She gave her father a shrug before she headed for the stairs.

Jethro scrubbed a hand across his face, gritting his teeth against the painful thud in his chest. He didn't know how to handle this. It wasn't the first time he'd been gone for an extended period of time. The only difference was that he'd been able to call the other times. He caught the troubled look on his wife's face, cementing the fact that Kelly was acting strange.

"Jen, did something happen while I was gone?"

Jenny stopped with what she was doing, looking at her husband as he stared off into the distance. It was taking all her strength not to show how much that question hurt. It shouldn't have, but it sounded like he wanted to blame her for their daughter's suddenly odd behavior.

Swallowing down the emotions, she frowned, shaking her head. "I don't know, Jethro."

She wasn't going to tell him that their daughter had screamed for her father to help her when she'd hit her head against the counter. Or that she and Tony had wished that night wouldn't come because it would just result in an inconsolable five-year-old. She wasn't going to guilt trip him either.

"I'll talk to her this afternoon, okay? Maybe she's got something on her mind." She tried to reassure him.

He simply nodded as he turned back to his coffee.

* * *

The front door swung open with a loud thud, announcing the arrival of none other than Kelly. She quickly kicked off her shoes, curly hair tousled and tendrils slipping out of her ponytail. She placed her backpack on the tiny hook, taking out her lunchbox and heading straight for the kitchen. Nearly tripping over her own feet as she darted to the sink.

Jenny closed the door behind her, shaking her head. She wished she had half as much energy as Kelly. Yoda darted down the stairs, heading straight for his mistress as she knelt to say hello. The heavy footsteps thumping across the kitchen floor had the little girl straightening up.

Two pairs of crystal blue eyes met. Kelly smiled up at her father, giving him a tiny wave. "Hi." She turned and headed for the stairs before he could open his arms to her for a hug. Both parents stayed silent until they were certain she was in her room.

Jethro ran his tongue over his teeth. Rage, frustration, heartache – whatever it was, it had a tight hold on both his heart and throat. He ran a hand through his cropped hair, watching Jenny as she moved to the crib where Adira was still fast asleep.

"What did you say to her while I was gone?" He asked gruffly.

"Hello to you too." She frowned at the glare he gave her. Satisfied that Adira was still okay, she stood back up. "All I told her was that you were away for work and that you couldn't call."

"You sure that's all, 'cause I don't think it is." The look in his eyes were dark as he watched his wife growing increasingly irritated with the situation.

Jenny bit her lips, seriously considering her next few words. Deciding to stick to the truth, she tucked a wisp of red hair behind her ear. "Yes, Jethro. What did you think? That I told her you left to kill a wanted drug lord." The fire in her eyes flashed dangerously. "Should I have told her that a four-day mission turned into four weeks because you were most likely dead?"

"Jen-"

"No, Jethro. What did you expect her reaction to be?" The stress of the whole situation was crashing down on her shoulders with full force. "You left without a second thought as to what might happen to us if you never came back. You're that little girl's whole world and you just left." She rubbed her temples. "At least you said goodbye."

Jethro grit his teeth. He didn't allow himself to think about what might have happened if he had never made it back. He hadn't planned on getting injured, and he owed his life to Mike Franks for rescuing his sorry ass again. He owed Anthony DiNozzo a whole lot more for keeping his family safe.

"I know what this mission meant to you, as an agent I respect you for what you did. But, as a mother and a wife, I don't know how I would have dealt with raising two children while grieving over the loss of my husband. The scary part about all of this is the fact that I knew we would have gotten through it no matter what."

"Jenny, I-" Jethro started, not sure what he should say.

Jenny wiped at the tears that rolled down her cheeks. "I had to listen to Kelly yell hysterically for you to help her when she split open her forehead. I had to watch Tony try and sooth her at night when she had a nightmare and I couldn't get to her fast enough."

She watched her husband stare back at her, silently processing the information she had dumped on him. Moving closer to him she cupped his bruised cheek. "You have to understand what we went through. Kelly is five, Jethro. She might be ahead of her age, but she's still a little girl who thought she had lost her father and she's too much like you. Neither of you deal with your emotions openly."

Kissing the corner of his mouth gently, she fought against the tremble in her hands. He made no attempt to pull away or to kiss her back. Letting him go she wrapped her arms around herself. "Just talk to her."

Jethro nodded, watching as she moved back to where Adira was slowly starting to stir. He slipped past her, heading towards Kelly's room.

The little girl was darting around her room, setting up her usual weekend fort that would come down Sunday night. She wrinkled her nose as the blanket kept slipping off the corner of the bed. Huffing, she grabbed one of the many fairy-tale books that sat on her bookshelf. Planting it firmly on the blanket to keep it in place.

Taking a step back she admired her fort with pride. Grabbing her colouring book and pencils, she dived into the opening, spreading her things open in front of her. Yoda traipsed into the fort, curling up in his basket that had been used as part of the fort.

The door creaked open behind her and she watched her father's boots move into the room. She held her breath, hoping he would leave.

"Kelly Bear." Jethro called quietly, hoping the affectionate nickname would draw her out. He heard her quiet sigh, it wasn't long before she emerged from behind the makeshift door. "Why don't you come sit here with daddy for a minute?"

Abandoning her fort, she shuffled across the carpet to where her father was seated on the edge of her bed. She looked at him with large blue eyes that spoke volumes. He brushed tendrils of hair out of her face as he lifted her to sit on his knee.

Jethro ran a thumb over the healing scar on her forehead. He leaned closer, placing a comforting kiss on her forehead. He didn't want to think about his daughter screaming as the pain had sliced through her. Swallowing down the lump in his throat, he pulled her against his chest.

"Kelly Bear, what's wrong?" Placing a finger under her chin, he had her look up at him.

Kelly's bottom lip quivered as she looked up at him, blue eyes swimming in tears. She sniffled softly as she buried her face against his chest. Small fists bunched the material of his shirt. He held her as she cried against his chest, her tears soaking through his polo shirt.

"I was scared." She hiccuped, rubbing at her eyes with one hand.

"Of what, baby?" He rubbed her back soothingly, cradling her close to his chest as she clung to him.

Kelly sat up straight as her father brushed away the tears streaking her down her cheeks. "That you won't come back. Like when uncle Mike left. Mommy also cried a lot when you were gone."

He cupped Kelly's cheeks in his large palms, wrinkling his nose at her. "Daddy's really sorry that he made you sad. I promise it won't ever happen again, okay? If I have to go out of town, I will always call you from now on."

Kelly beamed up at him, throwing her arms around his neck. She kissed his cheek lovingly as she snuggled into his chest. He cradled her close to him, relieved that she finally welcomed him home.

* * *

He'd been lying awake ever since Adira had started crying and Jenny had padded across the hall to see what was wrong. He let out a quiet sigh. His wife had avoided him the whole afternoon, busying herself every time he seemed to walk into the room. After his conversation with Kelly, he had a whole new perspective of what they had been through while he was gone.

Throwing back the covers, he made his way to the nursery. He leaned against the door frame, watching the happy smile on his wife's face as she cooed at the baby quietly. Pushing the door open, he caught her eye as she quickly tried to cover herself the moment she noticed him.

Grabbing the pacifier, she offered it to Adira. Yanking her top back in place she adjusted the baby so she could pass her to her father. "Do you mind taking her for a minute while I make her bottle?"

Jethro took his daughter, but stepped in front of Jenny as she tried to move past him. Adira blinked up at him, suckling the pacifier eagerly. Stroking her coppery hair, he met his wife's tired eyes. "Jen, what's going on here?"

She didn't want to acknowledge that she too had been treating him differently. Rubbing her forehead, she gave him an almost grim smile. "I don't want a repeat of last night."

Jethro shook his head, a soft smile curling the corners of his mouth. "Your eye is twitching." He could see the irritation at herself flash across her face.

Jenny let out a sigh. Taking a seat on the couch, she looked up at her husband as he cradled Adira close to his chest, murmuring some lullaby to her. She bit her lip. This was what she had feared she'd never see. Sweet little moments like this, when it was just them and their little family.

"I realize that I was wrong earlier. I had done the same thing to you, not that long ago." The memories still haunted her. Taking that mission in Paris had been no different than him leaving for Columbia. "I'm sorry."

Jethro shrugged his shoulders. "I should have let someone else go." He ran a calloused finger down Adira's soft cheek, noticing her rooting around against his chest. "Think she might want to drink again."

"I'll get her bottle."

"Thought you wanted to breastfeed?" He looked at her quizzically.

"Well we both know how that's been going. I'd rather save us both the frustration and make her a bottle."

"Jenny, what aren't you telling me?"

She pushed her thick red hair out of her face. How could she possibly tell him that she was setting unrealistic goals for herself? That whenever he was in the room with her she felt panicked, wondering what it might be she was doing wrong that would have him hovering over her shoulder. Being a mother was unlike anything she'd ever done before.

"I'm scared, Jethro." She finally allowed the tears to stream down her cheeks. "It feels like you're just waiting for me to slip up when you come in here after me." She moved closer to him. "I'm scared that I'll mess up and run off like my mother did."

Jethro pressed his free hand to her cheek, brushing his thumb against the soft skin he encountered. He leaned down, pressing his lips against hers. It felt like ages since the last time they had actually shared a proper kiss. Pulling back he tucked a tendril of red hair behind her ear.

"Jenny, I..." He pressed his forehead against hers. "I don't know what to do with myself. I had to do everything with Kelly. I don't want you to do all this alone."

She smiled up at him, hands cupping his face tenderly, tears still flowing freely. "I was terrified that I'd never see you again."

Jethro swallowed against the emotions currently constricting his throat. He squeezed his eyes shut, luxuriating the feel of the tender kisses being littered across his face. There had been a number of days where he had though that all hope had been lost, that he'd never see his family again. He met his wife's lips in a fierce kiss, hoping to convey everything he felt.

"Me too." He whispered thickly.

Adira fussed suddenly, aimlessly nuzzling against her father's chest. Adjusting her gently he handed her back to her mother. "I'll leave you two alone."

"Don't leave." Jenny stopped him, knowing that he was feeling left out, she tugged him towards the couch.

Jethro took a seat, helping her settle between his thighs and letting her rest against his chest. He pressed his nose against her hair; eyes fluttering shut as he allowed his senses to be consumed by her. He watched as Adira latched on easily.

"She's so tiny." He murmured as he placed his large palm on the crown of her head. He felt Jenny nod against his chest, relaxing more into him. "You're a great mother, Jen."

He didn't have to see her to know that she was crying. He tightened his arms around her, helping her support the little pink bundle in her arms. He knew that there was going to be more days like this, that there was going to be more challenges ahead of them. As long as he had his family there with him he'd be able to face anything. He pressed a kiss to his wife's cheek, resting his own against the top of her head.

But for now, life was just perfect.

* * *

_This veered from being fluffy and headed straight to being sappy. Meh, hope you enjoyed it._


	2. Mama Tiger

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything. Except the mistakes those are mine._

_**A/N:** This is part one of a three part tag I decided to do in this collection. I liked this idea too much to leave it alone. Dedicated to **NerdyJibbsOreo** for listening to me go on and on about how much I love Jibbs._

_**Warning –** If you are unfamiliar with the original story this stems from, Gibbs might seem a little OOC._

_Those of you have been with the series from the beginning..._

_Enjoy*_

* * *

It was a silent agreement between the three Gibbs girls that no matter what was going on, they were not going to tell their mother about it. Their dad had given them a look, silently convoying his thoughts of their betrayal. Kelly had simply shrugged her shoulders before she had slammed her bedroom door, both her little sisters hiding with her, hoping their mother wouldn't be looking for them.

It had become their routine over the last three weeks. They would usually hang around the house, helping Noemi wherever they could once their homework was done. But once they spotted the dark Lincoln town car turn into the driveway and flash the lights, they would scatter. All three of them usually ended up in Kelly's room.

Stanley had given the three of them a strange look when they had ambushed him early one morning. All of them still dressed in their pajamas, curly hair sticking up. Adira had been their spokes person while Kelly kept a trained eye on the front door. Anja and Yoda were their back up if their mother came out before they could get back inside.

The agent had given them a nod, agreeing to their request to flash the lights to warn them that their mother was home. He had smiled once they had rushed around the side of the house just as the Director had opened the front door. He'd heard from several sources that their esteemed boss was on a war path the last few weeks.

That was why Leroy Jethro Gibbs was currently stalling from going up to the Director's office. He knew about his daughters little scheme with their mother's protection detail and that they were continuously hiding in their big sister's room.

He stared blankly at his computer monitor, silently wishing that he was currently the one hiding. Word around the office was that their Director and her hardheaded Special Agent husband were headed for the rocks. Jethro scoffed, rolling his eyes – it wasn't that bad, his wife was just crazy.

The change in her was as clear as night and day. She was either jumping his bones every chance she got – not that he minded – or she was hot tempered and unreasonable. One night he'd reverted to hiding in the basement since his own children didn't want to offer him some safety.

"Godzilla, Godzilla." Tony muttered as he spotted the Director stomp out of her office just as he was returning from the lab. The Italian snorted as he saw his boss actually panic at what he should do.

He felt sorry for him. He'd heard through his trusted source that the boss-man was having a hard time. Kelly had spilled all the beans when she'd arrived at his and Ziva's apartment, looking worse for wear.

Jethro watched his wife storm across the catwalk. He swallowed, willing his body not to betray him as well. There was something different about her. Her fiery curls were darker than usual, spiraling down her back enticingly. He'd noticed recently that she appeared… fuller. Ever since taking the position as Director, she'd lost a considerable bit of weight, and he was happy that she had found it again. Although he loved her regardless.

He was having a tough time dragging his eyes away from her chest; the crisp white oxford did nothing to hide the lace bra he knew she had on underneath. Those impossibly tall heels clacked across the carpeted floor, carrying her straight to his desk.

"Special Agent Gibbs!"

_Shit!_ Jethro looked up from the file he had yanked towards him in order to look busy. Blue eyes caressing her figure appreciatively as he dragged his gaze from his file. Out the corner of his eye, he could see both Tim and Tony head for the back elevator with Ziva in tow.

He coughed, clearing his throat. "Ma'am?" He'd usually go for the title that would irritate her the most, but given the fire that was currently burning in those emerald irises, he didn't want to get an earful in front of the office.

"I asked you to be in my office _fifteen_ minutes ago." She snarled at him.

Jethro narrowed his eyes at her, trying to hold back a snarl of his own. If he provoked her, she was either going to rip him a new one in front of everyone – or storm back to her office with tears in her eyes. Double checking that there was no witnesses he resorted to the one thing that usually got him out of this mess.

"Sorry, Jen." He muttered quietly, fighting the urge to roll his eyes at himself. _Pathetic, Gunny._

She straightened, crooking a finger at him so that he could follow her upstairs. He obeyed, knowing he'd spare himself some sort of injury. In the beginning there had been a conflict of interest. Several agents had voiced their concerns about the Gibbs team having pull with the Director. It had only lasted until doors were being thrown off their hinges just because he didn't get his way. It had even put some of the Director's superiors at ease.

Jethro smirked as he saw Cynthia grab something and excuse herself, not even the faithful secretary could deny that her boss was hard to handle these days. He stepped into his wife's office, noticing the various takeout cartons, he frowned.

"Jenny, what-"

She didn't give him time to finish. She'd grabbed the lapels of his jacket, yanking him against her. Jenny moaned softly has he pulled her closer, large hands settling possessively on her hips. Crashing her lips against his, she reached up and ran her fingers through his neatly combed hair, mussing the soft silver strands. The moment his hands started wandering, she pushed him away.

Jethro pressed his forehead against hers, slightly out of breath. "What was that for?"

Jenny grinned up at him, kissing him lightly. "I missed you." Spinning around she headed towards the couch.

Jethro narrowed his eyes at her while her back was turned to him. They didn't make it a habit of staying in her office for too long. The rumors were enough to deal with already; they didn't want to add fuel to the fire. The odd times they were in here for longer than necessary, he'd either pissed her off, or the media had made him the bad guy.

They had shared takeout once or twice in her office, even then it was after hours when neither of them would be making it home at a decent hour. That in itself was a rare occurrence.

"Are you going to join me or not?" There was an edge to her voice.

"Yeah." Throwing himself down on the couch, he pulled his carton towards him.

Speculations had been rife through the agency the last few weeks. At first he had ignored it. He knew what stress did to his wife, and he knew to shut up and carry on as usual. It wasn't until Stanley had requested to speak with him one morning that he had started realizing that things weren't as it seemed.

Even after a stressful week of budget reviews that had been followed by a weekend away with just the two of them at the cabin, she had still been decidedly – fussy. Kelly had been no help when he'd asked her if she knew what the hell was going on with her mother. She'd simply shrugged her shoulders and buried her nose in her books, which he knew was a ruse just so she could hide in her room with her two accomplices.

"Jethro?" Jenny called softly, watching in quiet amusement as her husband simply stared into his carton of chow mein.

He hummed as he shoveled a mouthful of noodles into his mouth, the only indication that he was listening to her. Narrowing her eyes at him, she decided to ignore it and repeated what he had clearly not heard the first time.

"I asked if you arranged everything?"

Jethro chewed slowly, desperately trying to grasp what she was talking about. Arranged everything? Had he missed something that she had asked? Deciding it was better to just nod, he gave an affirmative grunt to get his point across.

"I hope your father can make it this weekend. I know the girls have been dying to see him."

_Right!_ The cook out. If his wife found out that he had forgotten that their wedding anniversary was right around the corner, she'd most likely keelhaul him and then book him for every technological conference she could find. Luckily for him he'd been working on her gift for the last year.

The fact that the date had slipped his mind was yet another indication that not all was well in the Gibbs household. Jethro narrowed his eyes as Jenny suddenly snapped her carton of food shut, turning visibly pale. Furrowing his brow, he closed his own, placing a hand on her back to draw her attention to him.

"Jen, you okay?" He couldn't help the concern that washed over him, despite how she protested against him fussing too much when she turned ill.

"Fine, it's just the smell." Jenny gave him a weak smile, hoping to swallow down the feeling as quickly as possible.

Ignoring his raised eyebrows, she clamped a hand over her nose. If they thought she didn't know about the rumors floating around the office, they were only kidding themselves. She'd heard them all before, from her impending divorce to the SecNav having fired her two years into being the Director.

"Jen..." His hesitation was dangerous, "you're not..."

Jenny smiled, the corners of her mouth slightly down turned at the hopeful glint in her husband's eyes. "I'm not pregnant."

He gave her a tight smile, the hope dying out as he quickly got rid of the cartons of food. Sipping her water, she leaned back. They had tried time and time again to fall pregnant one last time, but it just wasn't in the cards for them.

At first she had thought the same thing, the mood swings, the cravings – all of them consistent with the symptoms of being pregnant. Up until she'd talked to both her mother and Noemi about what she had been experiencing the last few weeks, that's when they had both mentioned that dreaded word.

_Menopause._

The disappointment had been brief, a small part of her knew that the chances of her getting pregnant at her age would be next to impossible, especially given how much they struggled in the past. Besides, Jethro was already one year over fifty and she wasn't that far behind.

Groaning internally, she pressed her fingers to her temples. "I'm just getting old, pretty soon I'll be catching up with you."

"Hey!" Jethro snapped indignantly, the smile on his face drawing one from her as well.

Rolling her eyes, she pulled him closer, nudging his cheek gently with her nose. He took the invitation for what it was and tilted his head towards her. He kissed her long and slow, trying to ease the uneasiness his question had left.

They tried not to indulge themselves too much at work. Occasionally though, they both slipped. Hands started wandering, wasting no time tugging at the crisp white shirt she had on. Callused fingers traced over the small of her back, luxuriating the feel of her silky skin. She moaned into his mouth, and he pulled her on top of him, bunching her skirt higher with practiced ease.

"_Director, there's a call for you in MTAC, the London field office."_

Cynthia's voice coming through the intercom had them jumping apart.

Jethro cleared his throat, trying the force his blood to return to his head. He watched his wife tuck in her shirt, quickly smoothing down her hair as if nothing had happened. Suddenly he was the one who was pissed. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to force the errand strands back in place.

"Need a moment?" The teasing tone in her voice caused him to blush profusely as she looked pointedly at his belt buckle.

He cleared his throat, trying to focus on something other than how good she looked. Shaking his head, he watched her gather the files she needed for her call. Brow furrowed he watched as she pressed her fingers against her lips, still unnaturally pale for his liking.

"Jenny?" She looked up as he moved towards her. "You sure you're okay?"

Twisting her wedding band out of habit, she nodded and swallowed against the tightness in her throat. "Jethro, I'm fine. I'm probably coming down with the same bug as Adira, I'm surprised that no one else has started showing symptoms."

Placing a kiss to his lips, she clicked past him, saying something about heading home once she was done with her meeting.

She had a point. Adira had been violently ill the last few days, forcing both of them to take turns to stay with her at home. Neither of them ruthless enough to subject any of their family members to contend with their middle child when she was sick. They were used to temper tantrums when it came to raising three girls, but Adira was impossible when she fell ill. Ducky had calmed their fears when he'd determined she had only a stomach bug, but somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that Jenny didn't have said stomach bug. No matter how hard she tried pretending that it was.

* * *

They were momentarily ensconced away from everyone else, their bedroom door closed tightly, the lock flicked in place. They had slipped away unnoticed by any of their so-called special agents, all of them too busy conversing with the other guests.

Jethro buttoned the last two buttons on his shirt, watching his wife as she pulled on the pretty emerald coloured summer dress that had teased him since she'd slipped it on the first time. He reached for her the moment she was close enough, wrapping his arms around her.

"You think they'll notice if we just leave?" He whispered against the delicate skin of her throat, content to spend the day with her being naked and lazy.

"Mmm, very tempting." Jenny whispered softly, her lips brushing the shell of his ear.

He shot her a boyish grin, blue eyes dancing with mirth as he tugged her towards the bed once again. Running the tips of his fingers over her exposed back, he winced as she tugged at his hair insistently. He wasn't going to question what had gotten into her today, she'd been all over him since he'd opened his eyes. Instead, he allowed her to push him down on the unmade bed, forgetting about all the people currently occupying the backyard.

"_Yoda!"_

Jethro groaned as Anja's voice echoed right outside their bedroom door. It would only a matter of minutes before she started hammering her tiny first against the door.

"_Give it back!"_

Jenny scurried into the bathroom, stomach churning all of the sudden. "We better get down there, before the rest of your team decides to join Anja." Her words were muffled as she closed the door halfway, hoping he won't hear the slight tremble in her voice.

Jethro growled something under his breath about their little six-year-old and her impeccable timing. Slipping on his shoes, he opened the bedroom door before Anja decided to break it down.

The youngest of the Gibbs clan stood in the middle of the hall, hands on her hips as she glared Yoda into submission. The Boston Terrier simply cocked his head, chew toy in his mouth. The dog's liquid brown eyes moved to the figure behind her and simply trotted back to his basket.

"What are you doing?"

Jethro hid the smirk as his daughter jumped at his booming voice behind her. Guilt flooded her pretty features as she stared at her father. There was something decidedly fishy about her showing up in the upstairs hall shouting at the poor dog.

The little trouble maker loved the family pet to bits, often offering him her shoes to chew on if his toys were nowhere to be found. Jethro watched as she spluttered on her words, not once daring to meet his suspicious gaze.

"I… we… nothing." She whispered softly, knowing there was no point in lying to her father.

It was a good thing Jenny wasn't around to see how easily he caved when faced with the pair of large aquamarine puppy dog eyes. There was no denying that all three his daughters had him tightly wrapped around their fingers.

Picking her up easily, he jostled her until she couldn't hold her giggles anymore. She pushed her curly red hair back with a small hand, resting her elbow on her father's shoulder and propping her cheek in her palm. Smiling cutely, she rubbed her nose with his before turning serious again.

"Daddy, I've been bamboozled."

Jethro raised an eyebrow in mild concern. "Really?"

Anja shrugged her shoulders, nodding thoughtfully as she stared at her father. "Tony said he saw Yoda come upstairs with one of Mommy's heels. And Mommy doesn't like it when Yoda chews her heels."

Jethro nodded, knowing that his Senior Field Agent had to be behind this. He listened to his daughter ramble on, having picked up both her grandfather and Ducky's penchants for story telling. He half listened to what she was saying as he navigated the steps.

Anja tucked her head closely against her father's shoulder, telling him all about what she did at school the previous day, already bored with what Tony had made her do. It had become quite obvious early on, that Anja was the chatterbox of the family. She was always running a commentary when the silence became too much.

Noemi had informed him one night that his little trouble maker had indeed inherited her mother's ability to talk none stop. The tidbit had been yet another collection in his arsenal of ways to tease his wife.

Depositing the energetic girl on her feet and watching her shoot out the backdoor, Jethro reached for the beer he'd left on the counter when Jenny had lured him upstairs. He grimaced as the warm alcohol washed down his throat. The unmistakable sound of flip flops smacking against the wooden floors, drew his attention away from the people in the backyard.

"Ziva." Jethro acknowledged as he rummaged through the fridge for another preferably cold beer.

The young Israeli gave him a knowing smile as he handed her an uncapped bottle as well. Resting his hip against the counter he stared at the people mulling about outside, not at all eager to join the crowd.

"I would be overstepping if I ask a personal question, yes?"

Jethro arched an eyebrow. It was unlike her to be hesitant or even subtle when it came to wanting to know something. Placing the cold bottle on the counter top, he gave her his full attention, already suspecting that he'd have to slap his Senior Field Agent more than once today.

"You and Tony having problems again?" There was a tinge of protectiveness in his voice as he watched the young woman shift from one foot to the other.

It had been extremely excruciating to watch the two of them flirt and then fight over what had transpired between them.

Ziva frowned at him, vehemently shaking her head, apologetic for giving him the wrong impression. She ran a hand through her thick, curly hair, chewing her lip in an effort to figure out how she should phrase her next question.

"The problem is not with us; it is with you."

"What?!" Jethro snapped, pissed that he was somehow being dragged into their complicated relationship.

"No!" Ziva smacked a palm against her forehead. It had not come out the way she had intended. How had she let them drag her into this she didn't know? "What I mean is..." She gave Gibbs a soft smile, forcing her to just ask the question. "Are you and Jenny? You know… okay."

Jethro narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously. This was starting to get out of hand.

"If you're asking whether everything in our marriage is still okay, the answer is yes." He half snapped at her. Squeezing his eyes shut, he rubbed at his temple feebly. "Ziver, everything is fine. It's not like you to listen to scuttlebutt."

She shrugged her shoulders, "We are just worried."

Jethro pulled the young woman into a hug. It didn't at all bode well with him that his family had resorted to asking such questions.

The patter of feet burst through the backdoor, revealing a flushed Anja, holding her father ringing phone. She smiled at Ziva before darting back to all the guests.

Jethro snapped the phone shut, rubbing at his temples in frustration. Sliding his phone in his jean pocket, he swore softly under his breath. Placing his half finished beer on the counter. He gave Ziva a pointed look.

"Round up the others, we've got a case."

* * *

Kelly was lounging in her father's recliner, watching with amusement as Kyle and Adira discussed strategy on how to go about removing one of the blocks from their impressive _Jenga_ tower. Anja shifted, giggling as she watched _Lilo & Stitch_ for the umpteenth time, snuggling into her big sister's side.

Turning her sharp blue eyes to her mother, she frowned to herself. This wasn't how any of them had seen the day ending. They were all supposed to be at the townhouse with Papa Jack, while her parents had the house to themselves.

Concern cropped up despite how happy her parents seemed. The last few weeks had been rough, with them either coming home extremely late at night, or fighting from the moment they set foot in the house. It was silly things that got them riled up. Most of the time it was her mom who started it, snapping at her father and him not willing to back down when provoked.

Anja had been in tears the first time it had happened, it was a rare occurrence for her parents to fight in front of them or at all. She assumed they usually sorted out their differences in the basement when they were all fast asleep.

Extracting herself from her clingy little sister, Kelly sauntered over to her mother, flopping down next to her and resting her head on her shoulder. She sighed softly as her mother wrapped an arm around her, not once dragging her eyes away from the book she was reading.

"Tired?" Jenny asked quietly, hoping that fussing over someone else would take away the sick feeling that had plagued her since Jethro had left.

Kelly shook her head; her sharp blue eyes looking at her filled with concern. Indicating towards the kitchen, Kelly made her way across the room casually.

Jenny placed a kiss to Adira's head in passing, casting a quick glance at Anja as she snored softly, tired after all the activity of the day. She found her oldest pottering around the kitchen, darting between the fridge and stove as she started a pot of tea.

Kelly had spent quite a lot of time with Ducky these days since she had decided to go into medicine, and it seemed like the Scotsman had taken it upon himself to teach her how to properly brew a pot of tea.

"If your father finds out how much you like tea, he might just have a fit." Jenny teased as she took a seat the kitchen island. She heard Kelly's soft mutter, but she found herself staring at the hand crafted dining table instead.

It had been sitting there early that morning, a pretty pink bow placed neatly on top of the smooth surface. Jethro's anniversary present to her, ensuring her that his craftsmanship was far better than any store bought set she'd been eyeing for the last year.

The present had been an excuse just to drag him back up to their bedroom and have her way with him. The last few weeks had been a maelstrom of mixed emotions. There were days where she could spend hours simply looking at her husband, studying every tiny detail that was just simply _him._ At the same time she wanted to strangle him with her bare hands, finding every single habit he had annoying, and once they started arguing there was no stopping them.

Kelly placed a cup of tea in front of her, giving her a kind smile as she sipped her own. "It'll probably settle your stomach better than a cup of coffee."

Jenny narrowed her eyes at her daughter, wondering just what Kelly knew. No doubt Ducky had been teaching her more than just basic anatomy. "That obvious, huh?"

Kelly smiled at her mom, taking a seat next to her. "You've been pale ever since dad left this afternoon. Either you've got Adira's stomach bug, or you ate something that was off."

Jenny shook her head, hoping her stomach won't rebel against the tea. Taking a sip, she closed her eyes, all together fed up with having to run to the bathroom every few minutes.

They sat in silence for a while, both relishing the quiet atmosphere that had fallen over the house. It wasn't until Kyle had silently entered the kitchen to say goodnight that they realized what time it was. Jenny watched covertly as Kelly walked the young man to the front door, more reluctant than usual to say her goodbyes. Smirking to herself she turned back to her tea.

Kelly sauntered into the kitchen again, taking her cup she looked at her mother with a bashful smile. "I have a date with my little sisters for a _Harry Potter_ marathon." Placing a kiss to her mother's cheek, she gave her a one armed hug.

"Do you mind just turning on Anja's nightlight. I'll bring her up shortly."

"She's already in bed. I found this handsome burly guy on the front steps who was more than happy to do as I ask." Kelly gave her mother a mischievous smile, remnant of her father as she moseyed out of the room. "You kids have fun now!"

Jenny frowned, not even attempting to unravel Kelly's sense of humor, she was as smart as a whip and her sense of humor knew no bounds.

"Heard your husband left you all alone, mind if I keep you company?" The voice drawled softly in her ear.

"Oh," Jenny murmured quietly, fluttering her long lashes prettily. "He won't be back for a few more hours. What's a girl to do with all that free time?"

Chuckling in her ear, he placed a light kiss below her ear, watching as her skin broke out in goosebumps. "I can think of a few things."

Jenny smiled as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest. "You're home earlier than I thought. Hit a dead end?"

Jethro grumbled under his breath, tracing kisses down her throat. "Not the type of dirty talk I had in mind, Jen."

Jenny squeezed her eyes shut, desperately fighting the queasiness. Shrugging him off urgently, she slipped out of his grasp, shooting past him and towards their bedroom.

The muffled sound of the movie the kids were watching was the only sound he'd heard in the last few minutes. He sat on the edge of their bed, towel drying his hair after taking a shower in the bathroom down the hall. He now smelt like some fruity girly scent. His attempt to enter the en suit bathroom had been denied twice by his wife, who still refused to acknowledge that she'd been sick since yesterday.

Throwing the towel over the nearest chair, he ran a hand through his hair. Knocking on the closed bathroom, he listened as the running water stopped and the lock on the door clicked open. He tried to hide his concern as Jenny slowly opened the bathroom door. Noticing the fatigue, he took her hand and led her to their bed, forcing her to sit down.

"Jenny, you should see the doctor or Ducky. Have them prescribe something at least to ease the symptoms."

Jethro was knelt in front of her, blue eyes clouded with worry as he took in how pale she was and seemingly tired. Adira hadn't been this sick, and he was becoming increasingly worried that she might be disregarding her health to stop all of them from worrying.

"It will pass within the next few weeks. At least that's what the doctor predicts." Jenny smoothed her hands over Jethro's face, forcing him to relax the stern look he was giving her.

"Few weeks?! What kind of quack is he? Get a second opinion, and when did you see the doctor?" Jethro looked at her confused. He couldn't remember her telling him she'd been at the doctor's, at least not that he could remember.

"Made an appointment Wednesday after we had lunch in my office. I went to see him yesterday. You know for the menopause." Jenny smiled at him, hoping to calm his nerves.

Dragging her closer to him, he looked at her expectantly, wondering exactly how that had gone down.

"Jethro..." Jenny smirked as he raised an eyebrow, anxiety written all over his face as he tried to act as if he wasn't worried. Cupping his cheeks in her hands, she ran her thumbs over his jaw, his stubble prickly against the soft skin.

"Jenny?" He whined as he waited with bated breath.

Taking his much larger hand in hers, she placed it against her abdomen, pressing his fingers into the soft flesh. He splayed his hand over her possessively, nudging her cheek with his nose to get her to continue.

"Jethro, I'm pregnant."

He gaped at her; mouth dry as his blue eyes flicked to where his hand was resting on her abdomen.

Jenny bit her lip, fighting against her own tears. It was a blessing and she knew it, the chance of her getting pregnant this late in life was scarce in itself. Given how much they had struggled to conceive Anja, they had tried anyway.

The corner of Jethro's mouth quivered as he fought against the tears glistening in his eyes. Weaving his fingers in her hair, he pulled her in for a kiss, allowing the tears to roll down his cheeks as she closed her eyes to return the kiss.

Sniffling softly, he pressed his face against the material of her shirt, kissing her abdomen. Lithe fingers weaved through his hair, tilting his tear streaked face up. Jenny kissed him softly, smiling through her own tears.

"Happy anniversary."

* * *

_Next on Life Decisions – Kelly kisses a boy, Jenny is nesting and Gibbs suffers from Couvade syndrome. So stay tuned._


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